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Top 10 dog toys

Whether it’s a birthday present, a puppy kindergarten graduation gift, or just a thank you for being your biggest fan, your dog deserves something special now and then. So we asked a group of dog experts to name the one toy they’d like their favorite pups to unwrap, and they obliged.

1. The Kong. A rubber snowman-shaped toy you stuff with treats…and then wonder how your dog ever manages to free them. (Kong, $6)

“It’s a super-durable chew toy, but its true value is its ability to occupy your dog for hours on end — I refer to it as ‘The Nanny.'”

“My all-time favorite is the Hide-a-Squirrel, which allows dogs to pull things out and feeds right into their carcass dissection programming. It also comes in a Hide-a-Bee and Hide-a-Bird model.”

– Jean Donaldson, trainer, behaviorist, founder and director of the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, and author of The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs and Oh Behave! Dogs from Pavlov to Premack to Pinker (coming in 2008)

3. The Frostbite. The latest in flying disc technology. Who knew? (Skyhoundz, $3-$4)

“The Frostbite is made with a softer plastic that tends to puncture instead of splinter, so it’s safer for your pet than regular frisbees. Plus, it’s specially designed to survive the cold, and still be a good, catchable disk. But don’t leave your dog alone with it — he’ll chew right through it.”

“The Leo, from Canine Genius, is a good puzzle solving toy and interactive when treats or meals are placed inside them. If you have more than one, you can interlock them together making the toy more of a challenge.“